'The Dropout' Episode 4: Elizabeth spins web of lies to bag deal from Walgreens
Spoilers for 'The Dropout' Episode 4 'Old White Men'
Thursday is finally here and that means Hulu returns with a new episode of the compelling drama 'The Dropout' which is based on the ex-billionaire Elizabeth Holmes who scammed the American healthcare system.
Previously on 'The Dropout', we see Holmes invent a blood testing machine and establish her company Theranos that was tagged as 'revolutionary' but technological failures haunt the team forcing them to fake the test results. With pressure piling up from investors and the world who judges and anticipates her moves, Holmes turns to Sunny Balwani as the two establish a romantic and business relationship, engaging in fraud together. With an immersive premiere raising expectations, here's what happened in the fourth episode and our thoughts on it.
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The fourth episode sees Theranos holding on for a bit with funds from Balwani (Naveen Andrews) who comes on as the COO of Theranos. But this is a temporary measure and Elizabeth (Amanda Seyfried) needs to secure money for the biotech startup as funds are running out quickly. This is when she decides to pursue Walgreens, which is one of the largest drug store chains in the USA, to bring on her device. In order to do so she smarty lays on her charm to get a meeting with the higher-ups of Walgreens who make the big decisions.
Amanda Seyfried gives an eerily perfect performance as Holmes and you can see why so many people fell for her scam. She's charming, wily, and slowly corrupting which Seyfried portrays well with her notable embodiment of the ex-billionaire. Balwani and Holmes as a couple are unlikable and this is made very clear from their conniving ways. The episode also brings to light the irresponsibleness of officials who should have thoroughly checked out the company. Even though they had doubts, greed and money take center stage as the two parties discuss a deal that would eventually cost thousands of patients.
Problems are cropping up as an employee who has an issue with her dishonesty is also fired and later rehired by Holmes who is getting increasingly smart in order to get what she wants. Under the guise of protecting company secrets, she prevents the machine from being tested and later also leverages her power by purposely danging other interested companies like Amazon in front of Walgreens. The episode ends on a celebratory note as Theranos and Walgreens become partners. However, there's some trouble in store as a tense Elizabeth sees one of the officials looking into her invention. A whirlwind watch that encapsulated the foreshadowing downfall, we look forward to the next.
'The Dropout' returns with new episodes on Hulu every Thursday.
